Grovens
by Money Stax
Summary: The power balance of five groups within an elite, but harsh trainer school is disrupted by the arrival of a new trainer while another one uses the chaos to his advantage. Lose too many times and you are expelled, but win and you'll be recognized as one of the best at Grovens. Hiatus.
1. The Jacks: Dan

**The Jacks: Dan**

" _Adequate...Decent set of accomplishments. Nothing too remarkable, but definitely some noteworthy achievements..."_

Dan Robbins sat patiently as he waited for the headmaster to finish. Four others had been interviewed before him, but there was only one slot available for Grovens Academy and he wanted to get it. Headmaster Hale stared at him, his dark blue eyes meeting Dan's green ones. The young trainer did not avert his gaze or back down in any way as the older man stood up.

"There were four others..." Hale began as he opened the windows to his office. "So, tell me, Daniel Robbins. Why do you think you deserve to attend Grovens?"

"I heard that Grovens was one of the toughest trainer academies in the world," Dan began to explain. "My dad thinks that it's a suitable last stop before I enlist in the military, but even he's not sure if I can cut it here, so part of me wants to prove him wrong. Now, I know the deal about the rules. Lose too many battles and you're out, right?"

The headmaster nodded his head. "In simplest terms, yes. This school is for victors only."

"Well," Dan continued. "I'm not going to make any promises that I'll go out there and own everyone that I see. After all, being at Grovens is more important than just proving that you're the baddest, but believe me when I say that you won't have to worry about me being thrown out."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, sir."

Headmaster Hale returned to his desk and opened the top drawer. Dan looked at him in confusion as the older man retrieved a small slip of paper and held it out for the trainer to take.

"I suppose you'll be wanting the key to your room..." the headmaster stated. "Take that to the housing department downstairs and they'll give you your room key."

"I don't under-"

"You were already selected before you even came in here," Hale said. "Of the five applicants, you were the most qualified. According to the rules of Grovens Academy, I have to choose the most eligible applicant. That being said, the interviews did have a purpose. I wanted to see if I made the right decision."

Dan arched an eyebrow. "Did you?"

"We'll just have to see won't we? Anyway, everything you need to know are in those pamphlets that you received in the mail. Win battles and you'll move up the hierarchy and possibly be allowed to enter one of the four specialized groups here at Grovens. If you have any belongings that you need to get from home, I suggest you use the weekend to do so. Now, on your way..."

"Right!" Dan replied excitedly as he stood up and shook Hale's hand. "Don't worry, sir, I won't let you down!"

The headmaster gave him a curt nod and Dan quickly headed out of the office. The building was mostly empty and Dan assumed that most of the students were in class. The quietness made it easier for him to take in his surroundings as he looked around the school and made his way down the stairs. The building itself was nothing too impressive, just a simple two story copper-colored structure with metal doors at the entrance. From what Dan had heard, the school's money went more towards maintaining the living spaces and other commodities of the different groups at Grovens.

"I wonder what group I'll be in..." he muttered to himself.

Dan's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. He glanced up as he noticed a person climbing the stairs that he was exiting. It was a boy who appeared to be about his age. He had a lean, wiry build with ivory skin and shifty light gray eyes that observed everything around him. However, his most distinguishing trait was his straight, white-blond hair that touched his shoulders. When he noticed Dan, he paused for a moment and cocked his head before the sound of the bell ringing urged the boy to continue up the steps.

Dan's mind promptly shifted to the housing department as the students began to fill the hallway. It only took a few minutes for him to get assigned a room since there was always one open due to frequent expulsions. From what he had read, all new students were automatically assigned to the unofficial fifth group until they were able to advance into one of the four main groups.

The bell rang suddenly and loudly and almost instantly, the halls filled with trainers rushing out the metal doors. Dan was pushed and bumped, but managed to get outside along with the others. Immediately, the courtyard was brimmed with activity, the biggest one taking place in the center. It was clear to Dan that a battle was about to begin.

" _Taking all bets here!"_

" _Kidd Rex has got this!"_

" _Yeah, go Anarchists!"_

Dan moved through the crowd to get a better look. The first person he noticed was the boy, obviously 'Kidd Rex' judging by the letters on his black cap. He was slightly above average height with olive skin and almond shaped eyes. The grin on his face told Dan that he was not one to lose often.

"Alright, Weavile!" Kidd Rex called out. "Let's end this chump quickly."

Weavile slashed his claws at the air and shot a sinister grin at his opponent. The fierce looking Weavile was up against a Loudred, the latter appearing to be no slouch himself in the intensity department.

"Loudred, stomp!" the other trainer said quickly.

Loudred rushed at Weavile, but the dark and ice Pokémon effortlessly dodged the attack with the high speed that its species was known for.

"Night slash!" Kidd Rex commanded. "Mess him up!"

Weavile's claws turned a dark purple color as he began slashing and tearing at Loudred with a savagery that Dan could not recall seeing in a battle in a long time. There was nothing that Loudred could do to defend against such a quick opponent and when Weavile finally ceased the assault, the Pokémon collapsed to the ground.

"Done and done," Kidd Rex remarked to Loudred's trainer. "Get this trash off the battlefield. It's time for another trainer to get dropped."

Dan was not a fan of Rex's attitude, but understood why he had it. In a place like Grovens, you had to believe that you were the best in order to win. The losing trainer quickly recalled Loudred and scurried off as Rex shifted his attention to the crowd.

"C'mon!" he taunted with an insufferable grin on his face. "Open call! Anyone who thinks they can take on the Anarchists, step up to battle. I know you aren't all wimps. Someone has to be brave enough."

Dan definitely felt the urge to step forward if only to shut Rex up. However, he did not really want to make himself stand out too much until he got settled in. The best thing for him to do would just head to his room and challenge Kidd Rex if he saw him around again. As he stepped to leave, Dan was shoved out of the crowd and into the center of the circle. It certainly felt as if it were deliberate shove, but Dan could not identify the culprit, so it had to be an accident. Unfortunately, it didn't go unnoticed by Rex.

"Who is this boy scout?" he remarked as he surveyed the shorter boy. "Really? This is the best you guys can give us?"

"Name's Dan," Dan said as he reluctantly extended his hand. "Listen, I wasn't trying to-"

"Dan, huh?" Rex interrupted without shaking the other boy's hand. "You're obviously new here, but that doesn't matter. You won't be here long. I went on a six month winning streak last year. That last guy was number one in my new streak and you're about to become number two. Get ready for your first taste of Grovens."

Dan knew that he could not back down now. Not only that, but he could not lose either, not to a person like Kidd Rex. His father always taught him to stand his ground and that is what he intended to do. Rex recalled Weavile and replaced him with an even nastier looking Zangoose. It was clear to Dan that Rex favored Pokémon with sharp claws.

" _Anyone wanna bet on the new kid?!"_

" _No way! There's no chance this scrub can beat Rex!"_

"Luxray, let's do this," Dan said, taking a deep breath as he tossed the ball into the air.

The lion Pokémon materialized and growled menacingly at Zangoose, determined to show no fear. If any of Dan's Pokémon could make an impression, it was his most trusted partner. Rex's strategy appeared to be just for him to overrun his opponent with quick and powerful moves and Dan figured it would be best to focus on countering it.

"Go ahead, boy scout," Rex taunted. "I'll let you get the first move."

"You're too kind," Dan shot back. "Luxray, charge!"

Yellow sparks surrounded Luxray's body as he gathered electricity. Once he was finished he let out a low, but intense growl ensuring that he was ready for Zangoose.

"Slash!" Rex commanded.

He was too fast for Luxray to dodge or even for Dan to shout out the command. Zangoose slashed the electric lion across his right side and Rex was sure to tell him to repeat the process until Luxray was down. Luck struck for Dan when Zangoose went for his face.

"Thunder fang onto his arm!" Dan called out.

Before Zangoose could make the finishing slash, Luxray struck, biting down on the mongoose's arm as electricity sparked from his teeth. Zangoose howled in pain, the intensity of the bite and the powered up electricity apparent to the crowd.

"C'mon, Zangoose, shake him off!" Rex shouted. "Crush claw!"

" _Zaaaa!"_

Zangoose's claws began glowing a bluish-white color, but he could only use one of them. However, that was all that was necessary to loosen Luxray's grip. He rolled back from the impact of the attack and quickly adjusted himself. Zangoose had taken quite a bit of damage from that attack and Dan could see that Rex was beginning to lose his cool.

"Time to finish this!" Rex yelled. "I'll show you what happens when you take on the Anarchists! Zangoose, let's go!"

Zangoose started at Luxray, but was stopped in his tracks as his body gave off yellow sparks. He had gotten paralyzed and Dan immediately saw his opening.

"Crunch!"

" _Luuuux!"_

Luxray crunched down on Zangoose's midsection with a force that even made Rex cringe a bit. Zangoose began flailing wildly as he tried to shake Luxray off, ignoring his trainer screaming and shouting.

"Damn it, Zangoose, get 'em off!" Rex yelled. "Close Com-"

"Thunder fang!" Dan cut him off. "Maximum power!"

Luxray sunk his teeth even further into Zangoose as the latter was electrocuted to the fullest extent. The only thing Dan had planned from the beginning was Luxray's rivalry ability and using charge from the start would give him an advantage. He had no idea that it would lead to this. After a few more moments, Dan ordered Luxray to release Zangoose as he did not want to cause any Pokémon any permanent damage. Zangoose immediately fell to the ground and it was obvious to everyone that he was not going to get up any time soon. A silence overtook the audience for a minute as they tried to comprehend what had just taken place before someone finally spoke.

" _Holy crap! He did it!"_

" _He beat Kidd Rex!"_

" _Ha! Looks like the new guy just put the Anarchists on notice!"_

Dan congratulated Luxray for a job well done before recalling him to his ball. Kidd Rex did the same to Zangoose before giving Dan one of the most vicious glares he had ever seen. Still, Dan's father had taught him to be a good sport in victory and defeat and this situation was no different.

"You're a really strong trainer," Dan stated as he walked over to Rex. "It was a good battle."

"You can save your congrats for later," Rex growled. "If I were you, I'd be focusing on getting out of here in one piece."

"What are you-"

Dan suddenly found himself surrounded by four other trainers. He did not understand what was happening and while he was more confused than frightened, he knew this was not a predicament that he wanted to be in. Before anyone could make a move, Dan was grabbed by a hand and roughly pulled through the crowd. He looked up to see the long-haired boy from earlier practically dragging him.

"What the-"

"Come on, genius!" the boy snapped. "Start running, they're gaining on us!"

Dan heeded the boy's advice and took off after him, Rex's companions hot on their heels. They ran through the courtyard until they reached a large fence. Dan followed the boy over the fence and they continued through the grass until they reached a dirt trail.

"Almost there..." the boy told him. "Just through here."

"W-wait," Dan said. "Who are you? What's going on?"

"Rob," the boy answered nonchalantly. "Rob Vincent. As far as what's going on, well you were about to get stomped into the dirt by the Anarchists, so I decided to save your ass. You're welcomed."

"The Anarchists?" Dan asked. "That Kidd Rex guy was talking about them while we were battling. Who are they?"

"One of the four...well technically five groups here at Grovens," Rob explained. "And the one you definitely don't want to cross."

"And Kidd Rex is in charge?"

"No," Rob scoffed. "He's not even second-in-command. Thanks to him losing to you, he's probably going to be in an even lower tier now if he's not outright kicked out."

That made Dan worry. Rex appeared to be quite a piece of work and to learn that he was not even the leader of a group who called themselves the 'Anarchists' was not a good sign. To make matters worse, Dan had already found himself a target of the group. The two of them were far enough away to where they could simply walk to their destination.

"Thanks for the help, Rob," Dan told him earnestly.

"Yeah, whatever," Rob replied. "Just know that you owe me. Now, come on. I want to introduce you to the other Jacks..."

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: The Jacks: Tony** _

**And the hiatus is over! I finally got Grovens out of its developmental hell. It's going to be a bumpy ride as we meet everyone in every group. Related to that, almost all chapters are going to feature whatever character is getting the spotlight and interacting with Dan.**

 **As always, come to discuss on the forums and other fun things.**

 **Later!**


	2. The Jacks: Tony

**The Jacks: Tony**

" _Here we are. Home sweet home..."_

The outside of the dormitory was not exactly spectacular but it was much better compared to the inside. The common room consisted of two old sofas placed underneath dusty windows, a standard television, and a wooden table. The floors were creaky and there were cobwebs in various corners of the room. It was obvious that the place was not well maintained. Thankfully, the connecting kitchen appeared to be clean, if a bit small.

"This is where we Jacks stay," Rob told Dan as the latter took in his new living quarters. "Least noticed, least funded, and least important. I like it that way though. Lets me do what I want without being bothered. All you have to do is win a few more battles like you did today and you'll be saved by one of the other groups."

"I'll be sure to do that," Dan remarked. "Where do I put my stuff?"

"Down the hallway," Rob answered. "First door on the left. Including me and you, there are only five Jacks in total, so we all get our own rooms. Go unpack and get yourself situated. The bathroom is at the end of the hall if you need it. I'll introduce you to the others after you're finished. They should be back by then."

Dan thanked Rob before heading down the narrow hallway. He entered the room and was pleasantly surprised when it was not as bad as he expected. It was basic, having only a bed, closet, dresser, window, and desk but that was all that Dan required. The walls were bare as were the floors, but the air inside was cool and refreshing. Dan thought that the room had a relaxed feel to it and figured that it would definitely be better than the barracks he would be sleeping in when he enlisted in the military.

It did not take long for Dan to unpack. Moving around time after time as a child had conditioned him to be extremely quick when packing and unpacking belongings. His clothes were hung up neatly in the closet with everything else placed on the dresser or in one of its drawers. After taking a fast shower, Dan returned to his room and released Luxray from his poké ball. He took in his surroundings before lowering his guard and jumping on the bed.

"It's been a day to remember, huh?" Dan said to him.

Luxray let out a yawn before curling up on the bed. He was obviously still worn out from the battle with Kidd Rex, so Dan thought that it would be best not to disturb him. Making his way to the common room, Dan saw Rob talking to two other trainers while another one was fast asleep on the sofa.

The first trainer was a young man with ice green eyes. He was a bit gangly, but had a noticeably lean and athletic build that suggested that he participated in some type of sport. From his neatly kept strawberry blond hair, lightly tanned skin, and nice clothes, he appeared to be something of a pretty boy, but Dan was smart enough not to underestimate any trainer regardless of what they looked like.

The second trainer was a fairly short girl. She had short, light blonde hair and green eyes hidden behind a pair of black-rimmed glasses along with pale skin and a wiry build. Dan did not know exactly what to make of her, but to be fair he did not truly know what to make of the other trainer or even Rob yet.

The third trainer had his back turned and Dan could hear his light snoring, but he decided not to disturb him.

"What took you two so long, Tony?" Rob chastised.

"The line for the food was unbelievably long," the male trainer, presumably Tony, answered with a sigh. "You were the one who wanted to eat out in the first place and we haven't seen you in hours. Where have you even been?"

"I was out nailing your sister," Rob taunted coldly. "I had the Queen of Grovens calling me her king."

Dan arched an eyebrow in surprise at Rob's insult, but Tony's exasperated sigh told him that this was a usual occurrence. He wondered why Rob was not trying to be careful at all as it definitely appeared like Tony had the advantage in a physical altercation between the two.

"Hey, uh, Rob," Dan called out hoping to get his attention.

"Oh, you're finally done," Rob said, turning around to face him. "Let me introduce you to everyone. Dan, eyelashes over here is Anthony Streb. Tony, this is the guy that kicked Kidd Rex's ass in the courtyard today."

"Nice to meet you," Dan greeted as he shook Tony's hand.

"Congrats on your victory," Tony told him. "I'm pretty certain that Rex wasn't exactly a graceful loser, was he?"

"Not at all..." Dan answered.

"And this lovely Jill over here..." Rob continued, cupping the female trainer's chin. "Is Deirde Royce. She's our little turtledove."

Deirde blushed for a moment only to frown when Rob decided to thump her on the forehead before moving to the other side of the room. Dan was sure to shake her hand, noticing that she was a bit more approachable than Tony.

"Good job putting Rex in his place," Deirde remarked. "If anyone deserved to be knocked down a peg, it was him."

"He deserves to be knocked down a flight of stairs," Rob added before delivering a hard kick in the back to the trainer that was asleep on the couch. When the trainer did not move, Rob grabbed a chunk of his auburn hair and yanked.

Immediately, the trainer jumped up. He appeared to be a few years older than the rest of them and certainly taller. He had a thin build with a noticeable scar on his temple. His eyes were a smoky blue-gray color and they were glaring directly at Rob.

"How many times have I told you _not_ to touch my hair?" he mumbled.

"Dan, meet the most washed up trainer in the entire school," Rob stated. "This is Everett Fallor. He was once a Premier, the best at Grovens, but that was years ago. Now he's a pathetic shell of his former self. He's like nineteen or twenty and he's still here lazing around. Talk about lame."

"Well..." Everett replied. "Can't argue with that, but at least I _was_ a Premier. What's your excuse, Robbie?"

Deirde let out a snicker and Dan could not help but grin as well. Rob did not seem fazed and Everett quickly returned to his slumber without acknowledging the new trainer.

"Alright," Rob said, turning his attention back to Dan and the others. "Danny-boy has gotten himself into trouble with the Anarchists, so he's going to need our help."

"Not really..." Dan told him. "I'm not scared of some moron who calls himself Kidd Rex."

"Oh no, it's more than just Rex," Rob replied. "By now, word has gotten back to the Warlord. Knox is going to do everything in his power to make your life a living hell especially since Rex was one of his favorites. In a place like this, you're going to need every ounce of help you can get. Understood, army boy?"

Dan sighed. "Fine, I'll go along with whatever is best."

"Good," Rob stated before turning to Tony. "Tony, show him around tomorrow before classes start. I want Dan caught up on all four groups and their leaders. Make sure he knows who he can take on without causing too much trouble for the time being."

"Why?" Deirde asked. "I mean, why are you acting like 'Captain Friendly' all of the sudden?"

"Just helping him adjust," Rob answered innocuously. "When it's time for him to pick a group, it'll be easy for him. That's all I'm trying to do."

"Right..." Tony said. "Regardless of what you're up to, I'll do it. It's only fair if Dan has time to adjust before people try to get him thrown out."

Everyone dispersed and Dan was left trying to figure out what was happening. It was one battle, that he in all honesty considered unmemorable, that was having this much effect on the events that were going to transpire throughout his time at Grovens. He was thankful for Rob's aid earlier, though he did not care much for his demeanor. However, if this was how things worked at Grovens, Dan was definitely going to need to accept any and all help that came his way.

* * *

Tony considered himself to be quite adept at reading people. It was quite simple with his sister, Deirde, Everett, and everyone else he came across. The only exceptions were Rob Vincent and now, Dan Robbins. However, the reasons were quite different between the two trainers.

In Rob's case, none of his emotions ever seemed to be completely genuine. It was as if joy, anger, anticipation, and every other emotion of his was set at fifty percent and Rob could dial them up or down at any given moment depending on his mood. No one ever knew what he wanted. They were all skilled enough trainers to be considered for the other groups, but Rob never even demonstrated a desire for leaving the Jacks. Whatever his motives were, they were either too simple or too complex for Tony to figure out.

Dan was different though. The reason that Tony could not read him was the simple fact that there was nothing to read. It was obvious that he was someone without secrets, ulterior motives, or anything of the sort. Even his history was nothing too complicated. His father was a high-ranking officer in the military and Dan was hoping to follow in his footsteps. Even so, that did not mean that he was not interesting at all. Though Tony was not one for much talking, he enjoyed listening to others.

"So, this is basically my last stop..." Dan finished telling his story. "Didn't know it would be this crazy though. So, what's the deal with everyone and these groups?"

The two of them were on their way to the courtyard before class. Tony could see battles forming already, but the morning were not nearly as bad as the afternoons. He led Dan to the small balcony outside of the gym's second floor that overlooked the entire courtyard.

"There are five groups at Grovens," Tony began explaining. "The Jacks, the Lunars, the Royals, the Anarchists, and the Premiers. The Jacks consist of newly enrolled trainers like yourself, undecided trainers like Rob, Deirde, and myself, and trainers who have been kicked out of other groups like Everett. It's really a temporary placement until you join a group or get expelled, so there's no actual leader or anything because it's not exactly a real group. For every person kicked out of Grovens, another applicant takes his or her place shortly afterward so that the school doesn't run out of students."

He paused to see if Dan was following along and was relieved when it appeared that he was. He gestured to the group of trainers causing the least ruckus. They were reading from several stacks of books and comparing notes on their readings.

"Those are the Lunars," Tony continued. "The smartest of the groups. They're the ones that are going to become the top Pokémon researchers and scientists in the future and in their words, usher in a new era in science. See that girl standing up answering questions?"

He pointed out a tall, willowy girl with waist-length black hair and tanned skin. Her honey-brown eyes were shielded by a pair of thin frame black glasses and she had a lab coat on, but Dan's eyes were glued to her steel toed military boots.

"I see her," Dan remarked with a smile. "The cute one with the nice taste in footwear. She's their leader?"

"Miyuki An," Tony said with a nod, slightly amused by Dan's attraction to her simply because of her boots and not because of how pretty she obviously was. "She's probably the smartest person to ever come into Grovens. She has professors from around the world contacting her to intern at their labs. Maybe she can help you with your studies? You better hope she likes you as much as you appear to like her."

"Never hurts to at least talk to her," Dan said confidently. "Beauty and brains makes for a perfect combo in my eyes, but anyway, those are the Lunars, huh? They don't seem too bad."

Tony shifted his attention to the next group. Trainers dressed in expensive clothes were having their Pokémon groomed and catered to. Most of the Pokémon amongst them appeared to be quite rare and a few of them were dressed up as well.

"The Royals," Tony started once more. "A lot of these trainers are from some of the wealthiest and most influential families in the world. Definitely future world-class coordinators and breeders. Don't underestimate them though, they have to win battles just like everyone else and can be surprisingly tough."

"Yeah, well money can't buy skill," Dan said. "But I guess you're right though. They wouldn't be here right now if they weren't tough in some way."

"Julian Rhodes-Leighton IV is their leader. I'm sure you can identify him."

The tall, golden blond, emerald-eyed boy wearing an expensive dark blue blazer over a pale pink, designer shirt stood out amongst all the others. He was holding a Flareon in the air and smooching it on the forehead while the other Royals pampered their Pokémon in a similar fashion.

"Reminds me a bit of the fan club in Vermilion City..." Dan thought aloud.

"Julian's father donates more money to Grovens than any other alumni. That's probably one of the reasons that nothing ever really changes around here. Anyway, the Lunars and the Royals aren't even an issue unless you directly antagonize them. The Anarchists though..."

"Yeah, I've gotten the memo," Dan finished for him. "So, what's the point of having them here? It seems a bit weird to have a group that's based on nothing but causing trouble."

"I said the same thing," Tony replied. "Apparently the founders of this school liked their 'strongest only' approach. It fits in this type of environment. Most people here think that members of the Anarchists are pretty much set to become criminals and join up with organizations like Team Rocket. Honestly, their leader might have a screw loose, but in reality, most of them are just posing. Kidd Rex is a prime example. They are a nuisance though, so my advice is either avoid them or do what you did against Rex and win."

"Understood," Dan said with a nod.

"Lastly..." Tony started once more as he pointed to the large tower against the west wall of the courtyard. "The Premiers. They're the smallest and most exclusive of the four main groups. Future gym leaders, elite four members, and champions. They're the strongest at Grovens and their leader, the Ace, is the strongest of all..."

"The Ace, huh?" Dan said. "I bet he'd give me an awesome battle."

"Actually, the Ace is-"

He was interrupted by the sound of the first bell ringing loudly. The Lunars and the Royals below began scattering to their respective classes as the Anarchists emerged from the shadows. Most of them hardly ever went to class despite the fact that decent grades lessened your chances of having to participate in demotion or expulsion battles. Tony and Dan headed to the main building, the former in particular feeling the eyes of the Anarchists on them and hearing the whispers.

" _Is that him?"_

" _Yeah, he's the one the beat Rex."_

" _He's dead once Knox gets his hands on him."_

However, none of them dared make a move and Tony knew why. The Premiers were heading to class as well and it would be idiotic to cause a commotion with them present this early in the morning. Dan did not seem flustered at all and even if he was, he was good at hiding it. He seemed to have something else on his mind, but even Tony did not expect him to actually approach the Premiers.

"Hey," he greeted. "You're the Premiers, right?"

They all looked at one another, obviously stunned that someone outside of their group had actually approached them and was making friendly conversation. That did not tend to happen often. Most of them seemed to be present and despite how vastly different they were from each other, the strength that they all possessed glued them together. Tony spotted the killer smile of Catriana Santoro, the cold and distant stare of Althea Gilroy, the indifferent expression on Oswald Wyman's face, and Fantine Fallor's charming gaze that was different from her brother, Everett. Only one of them seemed to be missing and it was the Premier that Dan had decided to approach that made the situation a bit more unpredictable.

"Yes, we're the Premiers," the young man answered.

The young man was Duncan Hale, grandson of the headmaster. He was tall with a muscular, athletic build and shaggy jet black hair that contrasted with his fair skin and deep blue eyes. He had a particularly cutting smile, but Dan only smiled right back.

"You must be the leader, then," he told Duncan as he extended a hand. "I'm Dan Robbins. I just enrolled."

"Robbins?" Duncan uttered as he shook Dan's hand. "You're the guy that beat Kidd Rex, aren't you?"

"That's me," Dan said with a nod. "But that's not really that important to me at all. I just wanted the leader of the most powerful group at Grovens to know that I'm on the map, but it seems like you already do."

"Well..." Duncan replied with a sigh as he signaled the other members of the group to head off. "You got the right attitude. You just have the wrong person. I'm not the leader of the Premiers. I'm the...second-in-command. My grandfather has a lot of skills, but proper reasoning isn't one of them."

"Then who is the leader of the Premiers?" Dan asked curiously.

Duncan looked past him and focused his attention onto Tony. The younger boy did not like being put on the spot like that, but it was inevitable when it came to this topic. Duncan's sore spot about not being leader of the Premiers was well-known throughout Grovens. He had the skills, the looks, and even the connections for the position, but in the end there was someone better.

"Why don't you let your buddy, Tony, answer that one for you?" Duncan suggested.

"Alright," Tony said. "Dan, the leader of the Premiers is a girl named Emily Streb..."

"Streb?" Dan started. "Wait, you're related to the Ace?"

"She's his older sister," Duncan added.

"Is that what Rob meant by that 'Queen of Grovens' line last night?" Dan asked.

Tony nodded his head as a shadow suddenly formed over the three of them. They looked up to see someone riding on a Dragonite closing in on them. The dragon Pokémon quickly landed and the Ace of the Premiers dismounted. Tony caught a glance at Dan's expression and was not surprised to see him slightly taken aback. Emily was striking in both appearance and personality. Her eyes were a mint green, more potent in color than his own, and they seemed to take in the world around her and everything within it. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied in a ponytail and the nonchalant way she looked at Dan made it appear as if she had just spoken with him five minutes ago.

"Took you long enough, Your Highness," Duncan mumbled.

"No..." she told him sternly, effectively ending the argument before it even began.

"Anyway..." Duncan said in an irritable tone as he shifted his attention back to Dan. "This is the Ace, Emily Streb. If it's acceptance into the Premiers that you want, it's going to take a whole lot more than beating Kidd Rex."

"So, he's the one?" Emily remarked, the neutral expression on her face remaining unchanging. She turned to her younger brother. "Is he a friend of yours, Tony?"

Tony looked to Dan as if he were waiting for a confirmation that they were in fact friends. In the end, he gave his sister a nod if only because Dan was genuinely friendly and made much better company than Rob.

"Dan Robbins," he introduced himself, hesitant to get too close to Emily's fierce looking Dragonite. "I haven't really made up my mind as far as joining groups go, but I definitely wouldn't mind battling you one day."

"Dragon rush!" Emily suddenly commanded.

Dragonite immediately flew up into the sky as a blue aura enveloped him. He crashed into something and it landed on the ground behind them. Upon inspecting it, Tony realized that it was a Hydreigon and from the way it quickly got back in the sky told him who it belonged to. He knew that there were not many Pokémon who could take a hit from Emily's Dragonite and simply shrug it off.

" _Sharp eyes you got there, Streb. Dragonite would have been taken out if Hydreigon would have caught him off guard. Aren't you just so damn lucky...?"_

A young man with piercing blue eyes, tan skin, and dark red hair stepped onto the scene. He was alone without any of his subordinates, but did not seem to show any fear despite being outnumbered. The young man raised his hand and Hydreigon returned to its trainer. From what he had said, if Hydreigon had actually managed to hit Dragonite, Emily would have likely been harmed as well, something that did not go unnoticed by Duncan.

"What's the deal, Knox?!" he shouted. "Too scared to face us, so you had to try a sneak attack, huh?! You Anarchists are pathetic!"

"Duncan, calm down," Emily told him.

"That's right, Duncan," Knox taunted. "Obey your master and sit."

"What do you want, Roddy?" Emily asked him clearly.

"I'm not actually here for either of you," he answered. He pointed at Dan. "I'm here for him. Do you know who I am?"

"No," Dan said. "But obviously you know who I am."

"You're the one who beat Rex yesterday," Knox continued. "Unfortunately for him, he's going to be scrubbing floors in our dorm for the next month. Losing to a fresh Jack is unacceptable. I should have had him thrown out of the Anarchists, but lucky for him, I'm in a good mood."

Roddy Knox was the Warlord of the Anarchists and was genuinely threatening unlike many of his subordinates, who were more irritating than anything. Everyone knew that he frequently suffered from insomnia, which made him even more erratic. Tony was certain that he was at least as strong as Duncan and could likely give Emily a challenge if he were to ever battle her.

"Maybe instead of punishing him, you should teach him some strategies," Dan told Knox. "Just using overwhelming force in a battle is always stupid even if it worked for him as long as it did. Sooner or later, someone's going to find a way around that. It just happened to be me and even then, I still got pretty lucky. I don't know why everyone is making a big deal out of me beating Kidd Rex."

"You just don't know how this damn place works, do you?" Knox responded. "You won't be here long with that attitude, boy scout. You might wanna watch your back because I'm putting a target on it."

"Is that a threat?" Dan remarked, taking a step towards Knox.

"Absolutely," Knox replied before looking at Emily. "After I'm done with him, I'll be coming for you. I hope you've enjoyed your time on top because by the end of the year, you'll be gone from Grovens and the Anarchists will become the top group."

"Is that all?" Emily asked with a sigh.

Knox smirked before giving her the middle finger and skulking off with Hydreigon. Duncan seemed ready to explode, but Dan did not seemed fazed at all. It was plain to see that he was acting more like a soldier than anything else. While that could be useful in many situations, Tony knew that the new student was going to have to adjust his mindset frequently if he wanted to navigate through Grovens unscathed. Simply rushing in like a Rhyhorn would be counter-effective.

"Man, I hate that guy..." Duncan growled.

"Don't let him get to you," Emily told him. "That's what he wants."

"Whatever," Duncan shot back. "I don't need your opinion..."

"Anyway," Emily said to Tony and Dan. "You two should probably get to class."

"Right..." Tony stated. "Dan, are you ready? Rob's probably waiting on us."

"Yeah, I am," Dan answered. "Nice meeting you two. Maybe we'll get a chance to battle eventually."

Dan certainly made it a point to establish himself. Tony found that admirable despite the fact that it would most likely make things even more difficult for him. After all, the only way to move ahead at Grovens was to make yourself noticed, something Tony still struggled with. The only consolation was that his sister was the Ace of the Premiers and he was a decent trainer himself, so he was not completely ignored. He knew things were about to change, for better or worse.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: The Jacks: Deirde**_

 **And things are kicking off into high gear already. So, we have two more _Jack_ chapters before we move on to the next group, so it'll definitely be a wild ride.  
**

 **As always, come to the forums and discuss this or any other stories.**

 **Later!**


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